Iran names roster for AFC U23 Asian Cup
Iran head coach Omid Ravankhah has named a 23-man squad for the upcoming AFC U23 Asian Cup, which kicks off on January 6 in Saudi Arabia.
Iran has been drawn alongside Uzbekistan, South Korea, and Lebanon in Group C of the competition’s seventh edition.
Iran will face China in a friendly during a seven-day training camp in Dubai — starting Sunday — before departing for Riyadh for its opening match against 2020 champion South Korea at Al Shabab Club Stadium on January 7.
Ravankhah’s men will then take on Uzbekistan — champion in 2018 and runners-up in the previous two editions — at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium on January 10, before wrapping up the group stage against Lebanon at the same venue three days later.
The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals, with the final to be staged at Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium on January 24.
Iran will return to the U23 Asian Cup finals for the first time since 2022 after finishing top of its qualification group — which also featured hosts the UAE, Hong Kong, and Guam — in September.
Iran defeated Hong Kong (4-0) and Guam (6-0) before completing a perfect qualification campaign with a 3-2 victory over the UAE.
Ravankhah’s team took part in the four-team Manas Cup in Kyrgyzstan in November, suffering back-to-back defeat against Russia (2-0) and the host (2-1), before beating Bahrain 1-0.
The following is Iran’s full squad for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup:
Goalkeepers: Mohammad Khalifeh (Iralco), Amir-Mahdi Maqsoudi (Sepahan), Pouria Rafiei (Sepahan)
Defenders: Mohammad-Mahdi Zare’ (Akhmat Grozny), Danial Eiri (Malavan FC), Farzin Mo’amelegari (Shams Azar), Masoud Mohebbi (Khaybar FC), Bahram Goudarzi (Iralco), Arshia Vosouqifard (Fajr Sepasi), Seyyed Mahdi Mahdavi (Iralco), Erfan Jamshidi (Paykan)
Midfielders: Pouria Latififar (Golgohar Sirjan), Mahdi Goudarzi (Khaybar FC), Abbas Habibi (Malavan FC), Mahdi Ja’fari (Malavan FC), Amir-Mohammad Razzaqinia (Esteghlal), Amir-Reza Sheikhirad (Nassaji Mazandaran), Mohammad-Javad Hosseinnejad (Dynamo Makhachkala), Yadegar Rostami (Fajr Sepasi), Mohammad-Hossein Sadeqi (Persepolis), Hamidreza Zarouni (Khaybar FC)
Strikers: Mohammad Asgari (Sepahan), Reza Ghandipour (Al Wahda).